Drilling implement guide



Dec. 26, 1944. J CURUS, 2,365,687

DRILLING IMPLEMENT GUIDE Filed June 15, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet l Dec. 26,1944. J. c. CURTIS 2,365,687

DRILLING IMPLEMENT GUIDE Filed June l5, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 vinili MkE Patented Dec. 26, 1944 DRIIQLING IMPLEMENT .lohn e.lCurtis,.(3ime1nmnt,r N.- H., assigner to Sullivan Machinery Company,.-alcorporation of Massachusetts Application June 15, 1942;"Seri'al' No.447,016

1i claims. .tonces-51X "This invt-rltionr relatesto` rook drills and`more particularly to improvements. ina guide for the drill steelofaliammer rock drillof-'the mounted drifter type.

Inrock drills of thefmounted drifter'type, a i

drilrhammer rrxotorfor` percussivelyi actuating a drill Vsteclj'isusually mounted on the guideways of fa guide shell, and the 'latter inturn is suitably supported with respect to the-work. In suoliV rockdrills; a guid'eis :often-provided' at the frontend ofthe guide shell tocenter andrguide the drill steelduringstarting orv "spotting" ofla drillhole. Astiredrill` hammer motor-*is fed forwardly along the guideways'ofthe'guide shell and the forward endofthe hammer motor approaches thedrill steely guide',` it is desirabletoeffect automaticielease'of thee'uidefromtheY drill steeland' to; effect rrimfernentI of the guide intoitsnon-'guiding l position out of the-pathV` omovement ofthe hammermotor so that the `latter may be fed along thev shell guidewaysforwardlyy past'the" guide.` It is also desirable to provide av guidestructure which is relatively simpleand rugged' in designylight inweight and estremely 'confinati-it;` while providing for `adem-latecentering-and guiding lof theA drill steel. i

Itis'an-object of thepresentinvention to pro'- videa noveldrillsteelguide which' embodies the desired features'above'outlined; inithat it is not onlvautomatically* releasible and simple and ruggeddesign-,hut also provides"v for adequate centering and' guiding' of thedrill steel. Another object is to provide a noveldrllsteel guidehavingimproved mounting means forA the guiding Velerelentsthereof;V lA furtherobject is to provide imlprovedresilient means-for yieldingly holding:the guiding elements Viii-guiding: position and forautomatically moving'the guiding-elements into their non-guiding position when the holdingmeans is released; Yet another Objectis to provide a novel' drill steelguide having a combined torsion and compression spring forcontrollingmovements of the guiding elements. A still further olhject istol provide an improved drill steel guide which is automaticallyreleasableby` engagement of the dri-11 hammer motor' therewith as thelatter moves forwardly alongJ its supporting guide. Still anotherob-jectis'to provide a novel drill steel guide of the pivoted guide armtype and emloodyirigim` provedmounting'means forthe guidearms wherebythelatter may'beeitherseparately or concurrentlyplaced ina guiding relationwith the drill steel. Another object is toprovide ai'novel drill guiding`position `and for autornaticall5`fv effecting swinging-'of the-guidearms into their released non-guiding positionwhen the `locking means isreleased. A furtherobject is to `provide a, novel spring arrangement forhold-ing the -guide arms in guiding position and for moving theguidearrns into theirreleasedposi'tion. With the above and otherAobjects in view, this invention "relates to certain novel featuresiofconstruction, operation' and arrangementof parts,` two examples of whichare` given in the specication and' illustrated in theaccompanyingdrawings, wherein:

Fiel-i is a side elevationalI viewof the forward portion' oi a rockdrill equipped with a preferred illustrative embodiment of the drillsteelguide.-

Fig. 2 isa frontl end elevational View of the rock 'drill and drillsteel guide Vshown in Fig- 1, the drill steel-beirig in cross section.

Fig'. 3 is across' sectionalview taken substantiall-y-on linel-S of Fig.1, showing the drill steel euidein its `guiding position.

\ Fig. `4 isf a View similar to Fig. 3,-showingf the drill steel guidein its released non-guiding position'. l y

Fig; 5 is a horizontal sectional View taken sul stantially on line y5-`-5 of` Fig; l.

Fig. 6-is a fragmentary cross sectional View takensuhstantiallv ony line6`ll of Fig. 1.

Fig. 'Z' is al' fragmentary View in longitudinal vertical section taken:substantially on line lf-l Olf Fig; 2. l

Fig. 8- is a sicleelevationali View simi-lar tol-Fig. 1, illustrating`a. modified lembodiment of the drill stell guide.A

i Fig. 9` is a front-end elevational View of the rock drill drill steelguide-- shown in Fig. 8, with parts shown in vertical section. Y Fig'.liti isa crosssectional viewtaken substantiallyon `lir1el|J"-IillofFi'g. V8, showing the drill steelguidfe in its released non-'guidingposition.

Eli-gull! is a `horizontal sectional View taken substantiaifi-yy on4liney H-#If of Fig. 8.

` Figi f l2l is a fraementaryA view in" longitudinal verticalsection'taken substantially on line l2-I2. of"l5"ig"."9`.` f r e 4 Fig.13Uis a fragmentary' view `in longitudinal vertical sectiontal'cen'subs, i',aritially` on line |3-v-l'3 steelg'uideofV thefpivotedguide arm typehaving improved rrieans` -for locklngf the" guide armsinventioir which is an' improvement overthat disclosed in a cop-endingapplication Ser. No.v 411,283,Y

chuck within a front chuck housing suitably attached to the forward endof the motor cylinder. The motor cylinder has usual lateral guides 6, Eslidingly received in longitudinal guideways 1, 'I of the guide shell.The hammer motor may of the spring. lThe spring urges the guide armsrearwardly into their locked position shown in Fig. 1 in abuttingrelation with the rear plate and with the locking lugs I'I in lockingengagement with the plate surfaces I8. The coiled portions 2| of thespring also serve automatically to swing the guide arms about theirpivots from their guiding position to their released non-guidingposition shown in Fig. 4, when the locking lugs I1 are released from theplate surfaces I 8. The lugs I'I on the guide arms, when the arms are`swung apartas shown in Fig. 4, engage the lower portion of the bearingboss I4 thereby to limit 'outward swinging of the arms. When the be fedin a well known manner along the shell guideways toward and from thework by means of a conventional feed screw 8 journaled on the guideshell and engageable with a feed nut carried by the hammer motor so thatwhen the feed screw is rotated, the hammer motor is fed along the shellguideways. Since, as stated above, the rock drill is of a conventionaldesign and is well known to those skilled in the art, furtherdescription and illustration thereof are herein unnecessary.

Now referring to the preferred 4embodiment of the invention shown inFigs. 1 to 7 inclusive, it

will be noted that the drill steel guide generally designated 9 includesfront and rear transverse plates I0 and II, attached by bolts I2, hereinpreferably three in number, to the front end of the guide shell 2 (Fig.5). These transverse plates are held in spaced parallel relation byspacing sleeves I3 surrounding the bolts between the plates, as shown.In this instance, the rear plate Il has an integral bearing boss I4 inwhich the front bearing portion of the feed screw 8 is journaled.Pivotally mounted on the spacing sleeves I3 of the upper pair of bolts,is a pair of cooperating guide arms I5, I5 each having an appropriatelyshaped guiding portion IB. The guiding portions I 6 of the guide armsare engageable with the body of the drill steel 4 to hold the lattercentered during starting or spotting of a hole in a manner well known tothose skilled in the art. The guide arms are also mounted on the spacingsleeves I3 of the upper pair of bolts for bodily or translatory slidingmovement relative thereto between the plates I0 and I I, and the guidearms have near their pivots downwardly projecting locking lugs I'Iengageable, when the arms are in their rearmost guiding position, withopposite vertical side surfaces I8 of the rear plate II (see Figs. 1 and6). As shown, projecting rearwardly from the rear faces of the guidearms are abutment bosses I3 with which the front end of the chuckhousing 5 of the drill hammer motor is engageable. A spring common toboth guide arms has coiled portions 2|, 2| encircling the spacingsleeves I3 of the upper pair of bolts and these coiled portions areinterposed between the front surfaces of the arm hubs 22 and the rearface of the front plate, as clearly shown in Fig. 5. The coiled portions2| are connected together by a cross portion 23 extending therebetween,and the end portions 24 of the spring engage the inner sides of theguide arms. The arm hubs 22 are recessed at 25 to receive portions ofthe spring coils and the hubs are laterally cut away at 26 so as toprovide clearance for the,

hammer motor guides 6, 6 when the guide arms are swung into their wideopen position, as shown in Fig. 4. The inner sides of the arms arerecessed at 21 to receive the end portions 24 arms `are wide-apart,thedrill hammer motor may move forwardly along the shell guideways past theguide, and as will later be described, the arms are shoved bodilyforwardly to effect release of the locking lugs by engagement of thefront end of the hammer motor with the abutment bosses I9 on the guidearms. Thus the spring has both compression and torsion functions and thecoiled torsion spring portions react on the arms themselves,therebetween.

The modied embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 8 to 13 inclusiveis generally similar to that above described. In this construction,however, the coiled portions of the spring are removed from the vicinityof the arm pivots so that there is no cooperation between the spring andthe arm pivot bearings. Also, in this instance, the spring does not acton the arms to move the latter rearwardly into their locked guidingposition. As shown, the hubs 29 of the guide arms I5 are formed withlongitudinal bores 30 which receive spring-pressed plungers 3| actingagainst the rear face of the front plate I0, and the plunger springsurge the `guide arms rearwardly, in the locked guiding position of thelatter, against the rear plate I I. A torsion spring 32 has coiledtorsion portions 33 received in recesses 34 formed in brackets 35secured to the front surfaces of the guide arms. These spring bracketsare arranged forwardly of the front plate I0 inadvance of the attachingbolts, in longitudinally spaced relation with respect to the guide armpivots (Fig. 11). A cross connecting portion 3 6 of the spring extendsbetween the spring coils, and the spring brackets are slotted at 3'I toclear the cross spring portion as the guide arms swing about theirpivotal axes. These. brackets are also cut away at 38 to provideclearance for the hammer motor guides when the guide arms are in theirwide open position shown in Fig. 10. The end portions39 of the springare engaged in notches 40 in the spring brackets (Fig. 12). Otherwise,this embodiment of the invention is generally similar to that abovedescribed.

t will be evident that in lieu of the single spring having coiledportions ln coincidence with the arm pivot axes, separate torsionsprings, one individual to each guide arm, may be employed. In suchaseparate spring arrangement, it would be necessary to connect thesprings 'between the arms and parts stationary with the front plate toprovide suitable points of reaction for the springs, in an obviousmanner.

In the operation of the preferred embodiment of the drill steel guideabove described, when it is desired to start or spot a drill hole theguide arms I5 may be swung about their pivots into the guidingy positionshown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 with the' guiding portions I 6 in engagementwith the body of the drill steel 4, and at that time, the guide arms arelocked in guiding lacking lugs I'I in lockingV engagement with asoma?position:` by `engagement of: the locking lugs I1 with the verticalsurfaces I8 on.the rear plate. As Vthe fdrillhammer motor I is fedforwardly alorigmthe Ashell guideways 1,1, the front chuck housingengages the abutmentv bosses I9 on the guide arms: and, upon continuedforward movement' shoves `the arms forwardly bodily along ,the spacingsleeves on which they are mounted, `to effect release of' the lockinglugs II from'the platesurfaces I 8. When the guide arm locks arereleased, the torsion spring acts automatically to throw the guide armsinto their wide open vnon-guiding,positionshown in Fig. 4, so thattheldrill hammer motor may move forwardly `between. the guide armswithout interference therewith. Under certain conditions, the guide armsmay 4be `separately, placed in guiding relation with the drill steel sothat but asingle guide arm may serve as' a guide, for instanceduringspotting. of a drill hole` on anv inclined surface when but asingle guide arm lwill suflice to `'prevent lateral `deflection of thesteel. When itis desired again'to'position the guidearms I5 inguidingVrelation with the drill steel, the operator may manually swing the'arms against the` tension of the torsionspring Zillinto engagementiwith the drill steel and thenf shove the guide arms bodily 'rearwardlyinto abutting en- -gagement with the rearsplate Il with the arm theplate surfaces I8.

The operation of the modified embodiment of the invention is generallysimilarto that above described, in that the guide arms move into and outof guiding relation with respect to the drill steel in a substantiallysimilar manner. In this instance, however, the guide arms are swungapart by the torsion spring 32 and are moved rearwardly into theirlocked guiding position by the springs associated with the plungers 3|.The

guide arms are released from their locked guiding position byVengagement of the chuck housing of the drill hammer motor therewith asin the preferred `embodiment of the invention, and the guide arms areshoved bodily forwardly into their released position against the actionof the springs associated with the plungers Whenthe guide arm locks arereleased, the torsion spring 32 automatically `swings Vthe guide armsinto the wide open non-guiding position shown in Fig. 10,

The guide arms maybe moved manually into their guiding position inVsubstantially the same manner as in the preferred embodiment of theinvention above described.

As a result oi this invention, it will be noted that an improved -drillsteel guide is provided whichisnot only relatively simple and compactindesign, but is also rugged in construction. It will further be evidentthat by mounting the guide arms in the manner disclosed, the lockingmeans is simplied, and further by the particulararrangement of thetorsion spring, the guide arms are automatically swung into theirreleased non-guiding position in an extremely eiective `manner Further,by means of the` parti-cular ment with a drill steel ,andtranslationally longitudinally of the drillsteel, mounting means forsaid :guiding elements, means for holding said,

guiding elements in steel guiding position, and resilientmeans connectedbetween and engaging said guiding elements for automaticallyindependently moving said guiding elements laterally away from the drillsteel into `their released nonguiding position when said holding meansis rendered ineffective, said resilient means comprising a co'iltorsionspring having Aoppositely, acting coil portions, one coil' portionacting on each guiding element, and said coil portions urging saidguiding elements translationally into the position wherein they are heldby said holding means in guiding relation with the steel.

2. In a drill steel guide, a pair of cooperatingy guiding `elementsengageable with a drill steel, mounting means for said guiding elements,means for holding said guiding elements in steel guiding position, andresilient means connected between and engaging said guiding elements forautomatically moving said guiding elements into their releasednon-guiding position when said holding means is rendered ineffective,said resilient means also yieldingly urging said guiding elements into aposition to render said holding meanseiective.

3. In a drill steel guide, a pair of cooperating guiding elementsengageable with a drill steel, mounting means forsaid guiding elements,means for holding said guiding elements in steel guiding position, andresilient means connected betweenl and engaging said guiding elementsfor automatically moving said guiding elements into their releasednon-guiding position when said holding means is rendered inelectve,`said' resilient means being supported by said guiding elements in aposition spaced in a direction lengthwise of the drill steel from themounting means for said guiding elements.

4. In a drill steel guide, a pair of cooperating guiding elementsmovable laterally vtoward and from one another into and out of guidingrelation with a drill steel and translationally longitudinally of thesteel, mounting means for said guiding elements, means for holding saidguiding'elements in their Steel guiding position and releasable upontranslatory movement of said guiding elements, and resilient means formoving said guiding elements laterally away from the drill steel intotheir released non-guiding position when saidholding means is renderedineffective, said resilient means comprising a torsion springengagingand acting between said guiding elements, said torsion spring havingoppositely acting coil portions, one coil portion acting on each guidingelement and said coil portions serving to urge said arms translationallytoward their held position.

5.*In a drill steel guide, a pair of cooperating guiding elementsmovable toward and from one another into and outl of guiding relationwith a drill steel, mounting means for said guiding elements, means forholding said guiding elements in their steel guiding position, andresilient means for automatically moving said guiding elements intotheir released non-guiding position when said holding means is renderedineffective, said resilient means comprising a torsion spring extendingand acting between said guiding elei ments, said spring being supportedby said guiding elements in a position spaced in a direction lengthwiseof the drill steel from the mounting means for said guiding elements.

6. In a drill steel guide, a pair of cooperating guiding elementsmovable toward and from one another into and out of guiding relationwith a drill steel, mounting means for said guiding elements, means forholding said guiding elements in their steel guiding position, andresilient means for automatically moving said guiding elements intotheir released non-guiding position when said holding means is renderedineiective, said resilient means comprising a torsion spring extendingand acting between and engaging said guiding elements, said'resilientmeans also holding said guiding elements yieldingly in their guidingposition wherein they are held by said holding means.

7. In a drill steel guide, mounting means, a pair of guide armssupported by said mounting means for pivotal and translatory movementswith respect thereto, means for locking said guide arms in their guidingposition, said lock- .ing means being releasable upon translatorymovement of said guide arms with respect to said mounting means, andresilient means common to both guide arms and engaging the latter foryieldingly holding said guide arms in locked position and forautomatically swinging said guide arms about their pivots into theirnonguiding position when said locking means is released.

8. InI a drill steel guide, mounting means, a pair of guide armssupported by said mounting means for pivotal and translatory movementswith respect thereto, means for locking said guide arms in their guidingposition, said locking means being releasable upon translatory movementof said guide arms with respect to said mounting means, and resilientmeans common to both guide arms for yieldingly holding said guide armsin locked position and for automatically swinging said guide arms abouttheir pivots into their non-guiding position when said locking means isreleased, said resilient means comprising a torsion spring extending andacting between and engaging said guide arms for eiTecting both pivotaland translatory movements of the latter.

9. In a drill steel guide, mounting means, a pair of guide armssupported by said mounting means for pivotal and translatory movementslwith respect thereto, means for locking said guide arms against pivotalmovement in their steel guiding position, said locking means beingreleasable upon translatory movement of said guide arms with respect tosaid mounting means, and resilient means for yieldingly holding saidguide arms in locked position and for automatically swinging said guidearms about their pivots into their non-guiding position when saidlocking means is released, said resilient means comprising a torsionspring extending and acting between and engaging said guide arms, saidtorsion spring also urging said arms translationally toward lockedguiding position.

10. In a drill steel guide, a support, a pair of cooperating guide armsmounted on said support to swing into and out of guiding relation with adrill steel and for translatory movement longitudinally of the steel,and a coil torsion spring engaging and acting'between said guide armsfor swinging said arms in one direction about their pivots, said springhaving torsion coils, one coil acting on each guide arm for swinging thelatter, and said coils also serving to urge said arms translationally inone direction.

1l. In a drill steel guide, a support, a pair of cooperating guide armspivotally mounted on said support to swing into and out of guidingrelation with a drill steel, means for locking said arms to said supportin guiding position, and a spring extending and acting between saidguide arms and engaging the latter for swinging said guide arms in onedirection about their pivots, said spring having coiled portionsarranged in coaxial relation with the arm pivots, and said coil portionsserving to urge said locking means toward arm locking position.

12. In a drill steel guide, a support, a pair of cooperating guide armspivotally mounted on said support to swing into and out of guidingrelation with a drill steel and having translatory movement relative tosaid support longitudinally of the drill steel, and a spring extendingand acting between said guide arms and engaging the latter for swingingsaid guide arms in one direction about their pivots, said spring havingcoiled portions arranged in coaxial relation with the arm pivots but inlongitudinally spaced relation with respect to the arm pivot bearings,and said coil portions opposing translatory movement of said guide armsin one direction.

13. In a drill steel guide, a support, a pair of cooperating guide armspivotally mounted on said support to swing into andout of guidingrelation with a drill steel and having translatory movement relative tosaid support longitudinally of the drill steel, and a sprin'g extendingand acting between said guide arms and engaging the latter for swinging.said guide arms in one direction about their pivots, said spring havingcoiled portions arranged in coaxial lrelation with the arm pivots, saidcoiled portions having a crossconnecting portion extending therebetween,and said coil portions serving to oppose translatory movement of saidguide arms in one direction.

14. In a drill steel guide, a support, a pair of cooperating guide armsmounted on said support for pivotal and translatory movements withrespect thereto, and a spring common to said guide arms and engaging thelatter for effecting both the pivotal and translatory movements of saidguide arms.

15, In a drill steel guide, a support, a pair of cooperating guide armsmounted on said support for pivotal and translatory movements withrespect thereto, means for locking said guide arms to said support intheir guiding position in engagement with a drill steel, said lockingmeans being releasable upon translatory movement of said guide arms withrespect to said support, and a torsion spring common to and connectedbetween said guide arms and engaging the latter for swinging said armsapart when said locking means is released, said torsion spring havingoutwardly acting ends, one spring-end engaging each guide arm ,betweenthe arm pivot and steel engaging end of the arm.

16. In a drill steel guide, a support, a pair of cooperating guide armsmounted on said support for pivotal and translatory movements withrespect thereto, means for locking said guide arms to said supportiintheir guiding position in engagement with a drill steel, saidlockingmeans being releasable upon translatory movement of said guide arms withrespect to said support, and a spring common toand connected betweensaid guide arms and engaging the latter for swinging said arms apartwhen said locking means is released, said spring having coil portions ncoaxial relation with the arm pivots.

17. In a drill steel guide, a support, a pair of cooperating guide armsmounted on said support for pivotal and bodily movements with respectthereto, means for locking said guide arms in their guiding position,said locking means being releasable upon bodily movement of said guidearms with respect to said support, a spring common to and connectedbetween said guide arms for swinging the latter apart when said lockingmeans is released, and spring means separate and distinct from saidspring for bodily moving said guide arms toward their locked position,said spring means comprising spring-pressed plungers mounted on saidguide' arms respectively.

JOHN C. CURTIS.

